(FUN FACT: The peso was the currency of Costa Rica between 1850 and 1896 during which silver coins were used. Silver in Spanish is plata, a word still used today as a term for “money.”)
The ₡5,000 bill is often known as a ¨túcan¨, based on the the 3 toucans hidden among images of a rainforest with a jaguar, bromeliad flowers, and precolumbian sculptures.
The ₡10,000 bill features Emma Gamboa, a teacher who helped to found the University of Costa Rica´s School of Education. There are also four volcanoes on the front (Arenal, Poás, Irazú, and Rincón de la Vieja). The back has a puma, along with a face of a jaguar.
Other fun facts:
- Under ultraviolet light, different parts of bills turn red and green, and blue and yellow dots appear.
- The blind can recognize some bills by the raised geometric figure on the bottom right of the bills. New currency should be coming out this year, and bills will all be different lengths so that the blind can easily differentiate bills.
- New currency will also include a ₡20,000 and ₡50,000 bill.
FAQs:
*Money on course? Students can bring money with them, but it will be kept in the Valuables Lockers while the students are on course. The only access to the money they will have is on their City Tour day when they will go to an Artisan Market and grocery store for local souvenirs.
*Exchange money? Exchanging US dollars to local Costa Rica colones is not necessary – larger stores and souvenir markets accept USD. Major credit cards are also accepted (although the outdoor artisan markets charge a small fee to use a credit card).
*How much to bring? Bring enough money for the $26 Exit Fee at the airport. Most sizeable souvenirs cost between $10 and $20, and our sweatshirts cost $20.